Arthur Ellis Woods' nephew; Randle Ellis Woods had an address for him of Graneye Flour Mill, 18 Skinner's Lane, Transvale Pretoria South Africa. According to family knowledge Arthur Ellis Woods was murdered in Pretoria, South Africa by natives. His gradson Jim Miller states that Arthur died in Pretoria, South Africa on 11 Sept 1934 where he is buried. A mugger who robbed him of a paltry sum of money, killed him.
He married Johanna Jordaan (Annie) on 24 Feb 1905 in Charlestown, Natal, South Africa. They had two daughters the youngest, who was born on 11 Feb 1907 was Jim's mother Annie Susan Miller nee Woods.
Jim Miller states that Arthur was a scout in the intelligence force during the Anglo Boer War and was in the British Forces during the 1st World War. He was site Superintendent at the building of the first dam on South Africa's largest river The Orange, and built canals that served to open up that part of South Africa for further development and habitation.
He returned to Pretoria in approximately 1933 and worked on the construction of the first steel works to be developed in South Africa, which was situated in Pretoria. Arthur Ellis Woods was a private, Regiment No. 198 of the fifth Western Australian Mounted Infantry Contingent that departed Fremantle on troop transort ' Devon' for the Boer War 6 March 1901 and arrived in Durban South Africa on 28th.
The Fifth then comprised 14 Officers, 207 other ranks with 239 horses. In South Africa, both the Fifth and the Sixth Contingents were amalgmated to form one strong Battalion. They served with Major-General F.W. Kitchener's Column in Eastern Transvaal, Natal and Orange Free State; and with Colonel Campbell's, Colonel Benson's, and Colonel Wing's Column in Eastern Transvaal.
For a great part of the year 1901, the Fifth and Sixth were in the Column of Major-General Kitchener, who long operated in Lydenberg District, and generally over the Eastern Transvaal.
In April, the column, working from Lydenberg, took part in an operations of Sir Bindon Blood to the north of Delagoa railway and in Middelburg district. During April, the Western Australians were several time engaged, and made some captures of prisoners and stock.
On 13th May, Kitchener's Column crossed to the South of the railway and made for Ermelo district to take part in another sweeping movement towards Ermelo, under the direction of General Bindon Blood, and back towards the Ermelo-Bethel district.
Captain Campbell was complimented by General Kitchener during operations at Frane House. On the 15th there was severe fighting at Grobelaar Recht, near Carolina, in which the 5th had Lieutenant Forrest and Sergeant Edwards and Corporal Bollinger killed and four men wounded; and the 6th had four men killed, and five men wounded.
Towards the close of 1901 and early 1902, both Contingents were acting under General Bruce Hamilton in the Eastern Transvaal, and took part in many of his most successful enterprises. Of the Fifth Contingent; Eight Officers and 139 other ranks embarked in the transport 'Columbian' which left Duran on 7th April, 1902, and arrived at Freemantle on the 29th.
They were disbanded on 17th May 1902. Information concerning the members and history of this unit is contained in Lieutenant-Colonal Murray's 'Records of Austral;ia Contingents to the War in South Africa 1899-1902'
It is known that Arthur Ellis Woods' elder brother; Samuel Woods, lived in Western Australia. He was a Station Master with the Railways and eventually held a high position as Treasurer of the Western Australian Railways.
This may explain how Arthur Ellis Woods came to join the Fifth Western Australia Mounted Infantry. A request was made to the National Archives for a copy of Arthur Ellis Woods military record, unfortunately their Boer War Records are incomplete.
It is believed that Arthur Ellis Woods also fought in the First World War. (This was later comfirmed by his grandson Jim Miller) Arthur Ellis Woods had two daughters in South Africa, the first Minnie who apparently was involved in some accident and later committed suicide and the second Pat (Annie) (Later comfirmed to be Annie Susan Miller nee Woods, by Jim Miller her son) who married a man with the surname of Miller or Milar.
Dorothy reed's research shows that Arthur Ellis Woods lived in South Africa until 1934, when he was murdered, aged about 56 years~ John Hawkins indentified the attached photo as being Arthur Ellis Woods. He remembered seeing it in the Woods' family bible at 6 Chelmsford St, Tamworth when he was a boy. He states the bible had names and dates written in it together with photos of the family.
When Randle Woods died, his daughter Marge Davis nee Woods, inherited the bible and she gave it to Teddy Woods as he was the a Baptist Minister.
John Hawkins recalls that there were photos in the family bible of the Woods brothers; Samuel, Arthur Ellis and Randle in cricket attire.
He states that in May 2000 he visited Maggie Moore's pub and Bistro, Lismore where there was a photo of an 'unknown cricket team' hanging on the wall. He is sure the Arthur Ellis Woods is in the photo.
She committed suicide after a accident.
Dorothy Reed's research shows that trains used to travel from Nobby's Breakwater, through Griffiths Road, through to Lambton.
During a cricket match at Lambton, the opposing cricket team apparently did something to upset brothers Samuel and Arthur Ellis Woods. After the game they obtained axle grease from under the train and smeared all the seats which were then occupied by the opposing team.
Their sister Sarah Graham nee Woods recalled the story to her grandchildren and said that both the boys had a good old chuckle about it. Samuel Woods went to Western Australia where he became a Station Master and later held a high position in the Perth Goodsyards of the Western Australian Railways.
He had a son named Reginald James Woods who, when he was about 11 or 12 years of age, stowed away on a troop ship bound for the front in world war 1.
He dressed in uniform as a bugler, but when he was discovered he was returned to Australia. Samuel Woods died 17 September, 1956 aged 80 years. His wife Minnie died 5 January, 1958 aged 79 years.
Both are buried at Karrakatta, the main Perth Cemetery in the Anglican Section W1, in grave 0310. There is no headstone, just a footstone marker bearing the name Woods.
There is no Reginald James Woods buried in Karrakatta Cemetery. It is believed that he died in New South Wales in the 1970's.